JAMAICA | Purkiss Thanks Golding for Tourism Shadow Appointment:

HOPEWELL HANOVER, Jamaica September 29, 2025– Member of Parliament for Eastern Hanover Andrea Purkiss has expressed deep appreciation to People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding for appointing her as Shadow Minister for Tourism and Linkages, describing the portfolio as both a personal honor and a strategic opportunity to leverage her extensive industry experience for national benefit.

The appointment was announced Monday as part of Golding's newly configured 36-member Shadow Cabinet, which the Opposition Leader said was organized around four key pillars: Economic Development, Human Development, Physical Development, and Governance.

"I am deeply grateful to President Golding for reposing his confidence in me with this critical portfolio," Purkiss stated in response to her appointment. "Tourism is not just Jamaica's economic engine—it's the lifeblood of communities in Eastern Hanover. 

This appointment allows me to bring both constituency-level insight and industry expertise to national tourism policy at a time when our sector needs visionary leadership."

Purkiss is among the new faces in Golding's Shadow Cabinet, joining returning spokespersons like Julian Robinson, Dr. Dayton Campbell, and Dr. Angela Brown-Burke in what Golding described as a team of "bright minds, experienced leaders, and energetic new voices."

A Strategic Fit

The appointment represents a near-perfect alignment of professional credentials with political responsibility. Purkiss brings 28 years of tourism industry expertise spanning attractions, hotel operations, tour operations, timeshare, and vacation clubs across Jamaica and international markets—making her arguably the most experienced tourism professional currently serving in Jamaica's Parliament.

Her industry achievements include breaking barriers as the first Jamaican Regional Sales Director and the first female to lead Jamaica's Vacation Clubs business when she assumed the Sales Director role for Unlimited Vacation Club at Secrets Resort in 2016. 

Under her leadership, the UVC Jamaica region achieved what company records describe as "unprecedented and record-breaking success," consistently delivering multi-million dollar monthly sales figures and ranking among top-performing salesrooms globally.

"My 28 years in this industry—from working in attractions and hotels to leading multi-million dollar sales operations—have shown me both the tremendous potential and the persistent challenges facing Jamaica's tourism sector," Purkiss noted. "As Shadow Minister, I won't just critique government policy from a distance. I'll propose concrete, implementable solutions informed by real-world experience."

Political Calculations and Economic Realities

Golding emphasized that the Shadow Cabinet bears no cost to taxpayers, with spokespersons serving without pay, but the political investment is significant. By placing Purkiss—a first-term MP and relative political newcomer—in a flagship economic portfolio, Golding signals the PNP's intention to prioritize practical expertise over political seniority.

The timing is also strategic. Jamaica's tourism sector, while recovering robustly from pandemic disruptions, faces mounting challenges: rising operational costs, climate vulnerability, intense regional competition, and persistent questions about economic inclusivity.

The current administration's tourism policies will likely feature prominently in the next general election campaign, and Purkiss's appointment positions the PNP to offer credible alternatives grounded in industry knowledge rather than political rhetoric.

From Constituency to Country

Purkiss' dual mandate as opposition spokesperson is to serve Eastern Hanover's immediate needs while helping to guide and shape national tourism policy.

This ground-up perspective could prove valuable in ensuring that tourism development reaches beyond established resort corridors into communities that have remained economically marginalized despite proximity to major tourism zones.

Her closing message reflected both personal gratitude and professional determination: "President Golding has given me not just a portfolio, but a platform.

I intend to use it to ensure that Jamaica's tourism success story becomes truly inclusive—benefiting not just resort owners and tour operators, but farmers, artisans, small business owners, and communities that have been spectators rather than participants in our economic prosperity."

The test of that commitment will unfold in Parliament, where Purkiss must now transform her years of industry experience into effective political advocacy for a sector that remains Jamaica's greatest economic asset—and its most contentious development challenge.

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